


You know what they say when you assume...

by soondubu



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-12
Updated: 2015-01-12
Packaged: 2018-03-07 06:25:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3164627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soondubu/pseuds/soondubu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chanyeol gets bullied by his dongsaengdeul, but maybe that's not a bad thing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You know what they say when you assume...

**Author's Note:**

> Originally inspired by a prompt at Inspired by the now-defunct LJ community "exoplosion."

"They're totally fucking."

"That's _disgusting_." Sehun cringes at Chanyeol. His appetite is gone.

"Look at them. They're so obvious."

"I'd rather not, thank you."

"Are you gonna finish your potato salad?" Jongin asks nonchalantly. Sehun slides his tray toward him and Jongin digs in.

"Why do you always have to bring up things like this at lunchtime, hyung?"

"Because the only time I ever see them together is at lunchtime, Sehun-ah."

"That should probably tell you that your assumption is wrong, then," Jongin says around his potatoes.

"There is _no way_ I'm wrong about this," says Chanyeol, staring pointedly at Sehun, not Jongin. "Seriously, just watch the way Baekhyun laughs."

Jongin and Sehun turn slightly in their seats to get a better view. There is Baekhyun, hand over his mouth in an effort to seem demure as he laughs raucously at whatever the exchange student has just said. "What's that guy's name again?" Jongin says. He's finished the potato salad.

"Huang Jitao."

"Zitao," Sehun corrects.

"Whatever."

"How'd he meet Baekhyun?" Jongin asks. Sehun gives him a look. "What? I'm curious."

There's a long pause before Sehun says, "He offered to tutor him in Korean."

This time it's Chanyeol's laughter that's raucous even though he was the one who'd told Sehun that in the first place. "Byunbaek! Tutoring!"

"It's not impossible, hyung," Sehun chides. "Maybe he knows some Mandarin, too."

"Has he been video chatting your Chinese boyfriend, too?" Jongin asks. Sehun flushes in an instant.

"He's not my boyfriend," Sehun mumbles, weakening the effect. "Hyung's the one who likes guys." He gestures plainly at Chanyeol.

"Is that any way to talk about your hyung?" Chanyeol shoots back. There might be a slight note of panic in his voice, rather than offense.

"We'll talk about your problems later, Chanyeol," Jongin says, staring at Sehun. Before he can say more, Chanyeol interrupts again.

"I'm not gay."

The conversation drops so quickly Chanyeol is pretty sure he heard it hit the floor. Jongin and Sehun are staring at him with matching looks of impatience. Jongin's mouth is quirked up at the corner just a little, though. "Can I ask—"

"No," Sehun says.

"I wanted to ask Chanyeol something."

"And I said no."

"What is it, Jongin-ah?"

"If you're not gay, why are you so obsessed with Baekhyun?"

Sehun covers his face with his hand so he doesn't have to see Chanyeol blushing. "I'm not," Chanyeol mumbles, weakening the effect.

Jongin shifts in his seat and Sehun groans because he knows how this goes. "Number one," Jongin says, holding up a finger, "you don't talk to him, but you have a lame nickname for him."

"I'm not the only person in school who calls him Byun—"

"Number two," Jongin says, talking over Chanyeol. He holds up a second finger. "You always sit opposite us so that you can watch him while he eats from across the room."

Chanyeol doesn't try to argue that point. He doesn't think they'd buy "coincidence" as an excuse for the last two semesters.

"Number three"—he holds up a third finger—"you got very dismissive and defensive when Sehun corrected you on the exchange student's name, and his relationship to Baekhyun."

"Number four," Sehun interrupts. He reaches over to put Jongin's hand down. "From the time we get into the café, to the time we leave, almost every sentence out of your mouth is about Baekhyun."

"Now _that's_ a lie!" Chanyeol insists, pounding his fist into the table. He pulls it back into his lap quickly and surreptitiously rubs it a little with his other hand. "I've talked a lot today about stuff that wasn't Baekhyun!"

"Yet here we are," Sehun says, smiling like the cat that caught the mouse. It's almost scarier on him than it is on Jongin, but maybe that's because Jongin wears it more often. "Arguing about how obsessed you are with Baekhyun."

"Shut up, Sehun." Chanyeol isn't look at Sehun, though.

"Keep going, Sehun," Jongin says, eyes flicking to the side just slightly. He's got that smile on, too, now, and Chanyeol can feel himself wilting. It feels kind of like his balls are trying to crawl up into his body, like his manhood is retreating from this double dose of dongsaeng bullshit.

"Why not just help yourself and me _and_ Jongin and maybe Baekhyun, too, and just _talk_ to him already?"

"Shut _up_ , Sehun." Chanyeol's eyes are fixed on a spot just over Sehun's shoulder. Jongin is doing a crap job of holding in laughter.

"Just go up to him and introduce yourself. 'Hi, Baekhyun, my name is Park Chanyeol. I know we don't know each other well, but I know a lot about you. I'd like to learn even more, so here's my phone number. Don't worry. I already have yours.'"

" _Sehun_ ," Chanyeol pleads, but it's too late, and Baekhyun has already overheard enough and is gawking at the three of them: Oblivious Sehun, Mortified Chanyeol, and Jongin, Laughing King of the Idiot Trio.

Chanyeol buries his face in his hands. Sehun turns around and is genuinely surprised. Jongin laughs harder at the awkward way Sehun tries to cover his tracks.

Sehun gives up when the exchange student appears beside Baekhyun. "What is wrong, ge?"

"N-nothing," Baekhyun says. He's watching Chanyeol. "I'll meet you by our lockers." Zitao nods, face full of concern, but heads off.

Jongin's laughter has petered out to soft snickering. He wipes at his eyes. Sehun elbows him sharply before making a hasty retreat. Jongin doesn't follow until Sehun comes back and grabs him by the arm.

"Park Chanyeol?" Baekhyun says hesitantly. Chanyeol doesn't look up. If he doesn't look Baekhyun can't see him. "Ah, Park Chanyeol. I hope what your friends say isn't true."

Chanyeol is a turtle. Chanyeol is a hedgehog.

Baekhyun stays a moment longer, and Chanyeol hears the sound of writing. He doesn't look until he's sure he's alone.

Chanyeol grins wide at the scrap of notebook paper, and the eight digits scribbled below Baekhyun's name.


End file.
